Social media growth fueled by older demographics, led by U.S. moms

May 1, 2013

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​Social media isn’t a new fad that only teens and college students understand, according to a new international study by GlobalWebIndex. The report shows that older internet users fuel growth for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Google+.

While more people are accessing social networks from their mobile phones, older consumers across the world are taking to these sites from a variety of devices. Between Q2 2012 and Q1 2013, Twitter saw a 79 percent increase in users aged 55 to 64. However, both Facebook and Google+ experienced user growth among consumers between the ages of 45 and 54, increasing by 46 percent and 56 percent respectively.

It’s important for social media networks to attract more diverse members that span age brackets. If these companies expect to profit from advertising features, they must prove social media content can reach prospects all over the world, from every background and with varying levels of life experiences.

A new study conducted by comScore for online parenting resource BabyCenter found that U.S. mothers are extremely active social media users. The report shows that more than 90 percent of American moms use social media regularly, making disconnected mothers a thing of the past. BabyCenter estimates a 20 percent increase in social moms between 2010 and 2013. More, mothers are active on some obscure social media hubs, helping marketers who target moms understand the content types that appeal to these impressionable consumers.

The study noted that moms use networks like YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+ more frequently than the average internet user. The biggest gap is on YouTube – 77 percent of U.S. mothers use the video-sharing network compared to 61 percent of the population.

Brands must embrace social media marketing as a way to reach all of their potential customers. If attempting to reach mothers, social sites may be the solution. To see returns on their investments, companies must create a variety of custom content to reach prospects where they’re most active. For example, video content can attract U.S. mothers’ attention as they engage frequently on YouTube.

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Ted Karczewski is an Executive Communications Associate at Brafton. He works to develop his own voice and apply his passions to the evolving world of SEO and content marketing, but he doesn't shy away from writing for fun. After graduating from Suffolk University, Ted used his Communications degree to test out Sports Journalism before Marketing at Brafton.